I'm a big proponent of outfits, and it took years to overcome my fear of costuming.

The reason for costumes is 1 to make you feel good about yourself and 2 to start a conversations with people you meet.

As other's have mentioned, add to an idea, modify it or combine 10 things. Characters from movies or off the shelf Halloween costumes have a lot of cultural baggage. Many friends bring a full length mirror and mix things up several times a day before they head out! Accessories! Comfortable bold footwear! Layers! Hats! (and of course illumination)

Find a friend your same size. Find a friend to consult with. Visit the Kostume Kult and the Black Rock Boutique. Get some things at the secondhand store and sew different things together. If you are in a burner town, exchange burner clothing! Meet other burners in person year around and collaborate on preparing for the big burn, the precompression, decompression, regional campouts and house parties.

On the other hand, many people just wear camping clothes.

I will say, I strongly discourage outfits that obscure the face. We communicate with our face. We meet and interact with strangers at the brief week-long event. If you are inside an outfit that obscures your face, you are in spectator mode.

Bring what ever costume you want! Characters are great. You really don't know how the community is going respond.

When the theme was Cargo Cult, I went to a themed Star Wars party. I had this old Star Trek costume form a protest we staged in late 1990's at a Star Wars movie premiere, I had only used it once. The costume was simple black tight pants and cheap Star Trek long sleeve shirt I brought a costume store. The only thing I added was African print Side Cap hat. It was the first night and I put it on because it was easy simple warm and I was too tired to do anything else. We walk up to the bar at the party and the bartender loves it and next thing I know half the bar is applauding my costume.

This year we applied for a Cosplay themed camp and hope to be the first ever. We plan on taking the Cosplay to whole new level of play!

some seeing eye wrote:I will say, I strongly discourage outfits that obscure the face. We communicate with our face. We meet and interact with strangers at the brief week-long event. If you are inside an outfit that obscures your face, you are in spectator mode.

I disagree about the spectator thing, but I still understand what you're saying, and I think you have a point.

One of my Burner acquaintances has anxiety and sometimes obscures her face, or portions of it. (Heck, between the sun and the dust, the playa sometimes INSISTS that we cover these up.) But she's a participant (a volunteer, a worker, a do-er) not a spectator. I'm never going to stand there and tell her she owes her face to anyone. The act of being on the playa breaks those barriers down a little naturally, under conditions of relative emotional safety compared to the default world. But she gets to choose when. (I used to be afraid of showing my bare stomach, and joked that I couldn't even think of "showing my tummy until Thursday". That was definitely Mine to Work Through, not anyone else's business.)

But I do understand that the covered face is a barrier to intimacy, although I think folks have a right to set their terms.

I actually find sunglasses aggravating for the same reason--it's hard to recognize someone out of their sunglasses when you've only met them IN sunglasses, nor do I feel like I've "met" someone until I see their eyes.

*** 2018 Survival Guide ***
"I must've lost it when I was twerking at the trash fence." -- BBadger

I hear virgins who think of the event as Halloween which has a tradition for some of going into their costume shell. In my view, BRC is temporary city and all about meeting people who return the invitation and having conversations. It is part of immediacy. If you look at the many photos of people on the playa, very few have their face completely obscured.

My advice is for virgins. But i'l be controversial, I don't believe the event is for everyone and that is relevant considering the ticket shortage.